While talking about Arunachal Pradesh that what invariably comes in mind is its natural beauty. From majestic mountains to gorgeous waterfalls, lakes, wildlife sanctuaries, the list will be quite lengthy. If these are all the handiworks of nature, there are also something equally enchanting to be offered by the people of this state, made exclusively by their hands and which they have been zealously nurturing  as a legacy over the centuries- the indigenous traditional handloom.
Handloom weaving traditions in Arunachal stands apart from the rest of their mainland counterparts due to their sheer varieties. Each tribe and sub-tribe has their individual, matchless and fascinating patterns of designs making it bewildering of what to choose. But the strikingly common aspects are usage of indigenous organic materials and not just a riot of colours, but their intelligent combination also. It’s more a part of life and customs than as a hobby. Designs are not just something created individualistically by the weaver but carry a cultural significance. With deft fingers and by using an elementary appliance made out only of bamboo, the Arunachalee woman weaves magic into her hand-woven textiles, infusing creativity and consciously safeguarding the traditional norms.
Over the years, admiration about Arunachal’s handloom or loin loom has grown exponentially. This is evident from the huge footfalls that throng the state’s stalls in handicraft fairs arranged all over the country. People come, appreciate, and purchase these collector’s items and ask about where to buy them outside these fairs. When they learn that it is only next year, they draw long faces. It is not hard to feel the pulse of an average urban Indian, who wants to add something new to supplement his fashion quotient and that is not anything western anymore, but purely traditional and indigenous.
Hence, the issue is marketing is too vital to ignore and that had also been echoed by the state’s first lady a couple of days before.
Now, the methods of marketing has underwent a solid change with the advent of internet and its omnipresence. E-commerce has emerged as the most favoured method, replacing the older patterns of marketing, where there is no notorious presence of any middlemen. Hardly we can find a sector in India which has not embraced this new system. Handicrafts sector too had started enjoying its benefits which is evident from the presence of a huge number of traditional showpieces doing brisk business in almost all e-commerce platforms.
But to be a part of this new system where the Arunachalee weaver will be essentially a merchant, nitty-gritties of the trade must be imparted to them so that they can join confidently the unstoppable bandwagon of e-commerce. Let E-merchandising be their new path to economic empowerment. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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